1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to stoppering bottles with pressurized, carbonated, water-based liquid contents and, more particularly, to a plastic one-piece corking means for stoppering bottles with elongated necks having two annular flanges on said neck close to the mouth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It long has been recognized that bottles with pressurized, carbonated contents present a hazard. When these bottles are opened by a user, oftentimes the cork will be ejected from the bottle with a degree of force capable of causing injury to people. Facial and eye injuries have been known to occur when a cork is propelled out of a bottle with considerable force.
A number of different closure arrangements for bottles with pressurized, carbonated contents have been utilized in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,627 describes a stoppering system for bottles and discloses a cap portion which is attached to a securing ring on the bottle through a flexible bridging member. The cap portion is not inserted into the neck of the bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,221 also discloses a capping device in which the cap is attached to a ring on the bottle by a strap portion. This patent, as did the foregoing, discloses a stoppering device that is not inserted into the neck of the bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 773,345 discloses a multi-part stoppering system in which the cork portion is attached to a loop around the bottle neck via a chain or wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,265,263 discloses a stoppering system in which a cork portion is secured to a bottle via a rope or wire loop system. This is a multi-part device.
British Pat. No. 15,267 discloses a multi-part corking device in which the cork is secured to the bottle via a chain. West German Pat. No. 2,200,857 also discloses a multi-part corking device in which the cork portion is secured to the bottle neck via a tether. Swiss Pat. No. 338,108 discloses a bottle stoppering system in which a cap portion is secured to a bottle via a tether. This stoppering system utilizes a capping, and not a corking device. The tether extends horizontally outward of the outer surface of the bottle. The corking device is of a one-piece plastic construction.
Although all of these closure arrangements appear to be satisfactory for their intended purposes, they have drawbacks for use in stoppering bottles with pressurized, carbonated, water-based liquid contents. Due to the existence of an outwardly extending tether on some of the prior art arrangements, wiring of the bottles after corking is difficult. It is also difficult to pack large numbers of stoppered bottles.
In the prior art arrangements that have multi-part corking portions, problems arise in assembly and inventory which add to the total cost of stoppering the bottles.